Traffic register



Aug. 26, 1930. F. A. BARNEY I TRAFFIC REGISTER Filed Nov. 12, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Fm 11/? 4 Barney ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1930. F. A.BARNEY 1,773,713

TRAFFIC REGISTER Filed Nov. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 v INNENTORHan/f ,4 Barney Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANKA. BARNEY, OF CROWN POINT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRED L.PORTER, OF CROWN POINT, NEW YORK TRAFFIC REGISTER Application filedNovember 12, 1927. Serial No. 232,782.

thrust upon the officials of our State and municipal governments. In sofar as I have been able to determine, the only way that the amount ofvehicular traffic flowlng over any particular highway or street for agiven period could heretofore be properly determined,

has beento station one or more men at the point in question and havethem count the vehicles that passed. Obviously this is expensive,especially where it is desired to have a record of the traffic flow foran extended pe rio-d. I

Thus where officials desire to know whether any particular street isoverburdened or underladen with traffic, for the purpose of reroutingthat traffic, or where they desire to know whether a highway is standingup under the traffic contemplated, it is merely necessary to install mytraffic register to determine this question. My invention is also usefulwhere it is desired to know the number of vehicles attending any publicgathering such as fairs and races and finds a useful purpose at fillingstations and the like for determining total patronage over any givenperiod.

My invention includes a pressure bar which, when properly installed in ahighway, may be actuated by the passage of a vehicle thereover. Thedepression ofthis pressure bar operates mechanism, preferably shaft andlever i mechanism, communicating each actuation to a register orcounting device causing each depression to be registered. The entiremechanism is of course suitably housed.

From the description and drawings, forming a part hereof, the nature andobjects of the invention will be more thoroughly understood. In thedrawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the left hand pressure bar removedand the base of the traffic tower in section,

Figs. 3, 4 and are sectional views of the pressure bar and housingassembly taken on the lines 33, 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 2, eachshowing the parts cut by the section but none behind,

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the register mechanism, the registerwallsbeingshown in section,

Fig. 7 is a front elevation thereof,

Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof, and

Fig. 9 is a developeddiagrammatic plan view of the register gearing.

I Altho I shall describe my invention as comprising a traffic towertogether with both right and left hand pressm bars and accompanyingassembly, it should be quite obvious that I do not intend to be limitedto this complete embodiment of my invention as it may be expedient undercertain circumstances to install only one pressure bar of a lengthsubstantially equal to the width of the highway with the register at theside of the roadrather than in the approximate center thereof.

In the drawings, reference character 1 designates,'generally, a traffictower having a hollow base 2 of concrete or other suitable material anda register housing 3 which may be of wood or metal. The traffic tower 1normally is placed in the center of'the highway in connection with whichmy invention is installed, the base 2 being setinto the road bed asuitable distance, if desired, as shown in Fig. 1. Extending to theright and left from the base 2 are right and left hand pressure barassemblies each of which may comprise housing members i and 5 havingupper flanges 6 and 7. The housing members 4 and 5 are coupled togetherby U-shaped spans or couples 8, 9 and 10 as well as by cross bars 11 and12 which, incidentally serve another purpose to be hereinafter related.The housing members 4 and 5 are so disposed that the inner faces thereofare vertical and parallel and the upper faces of the flanges 6 and 7 areparallel and in the same plane.

Midway between the ends of the couples 8, and 10 on the upper sidethereof are circular bosses l-l. centered upon which are like compression springs 15 for supporting the right and lefthand pressure bars16 which are each U-shaped in cross section and inverted.

ring

Upon the underside of the pressure bars 16 are circular 17 for tit inginto the upper ends of the springs 15 The couples 9 and 10, and thebosses l? are a ll similarly and equally spaced. The right :11 d lefthand pressure bars 2 liore, rest upon their respective sets of i' 15,the bosses l7 and ll fitting in 1 l and lower ends, respectively, o Thepressure ha s loose] into their respective housings so as to allow forroller bearings and so that they can move freely in a 'ertica plane. Theupper face of each pres sure hi is oulged or convex shaped and thesprings 1: are of such a length that the bulged :o portion of thepressure bar for its entire length extends above the upper faces of theflanges G and T.

is shr wn more pa 'ticularly in Fig. 4:, roller bearings 18 are providedin each of the 111 housing members i and 5 so that the pressure bars 16will tit slidahly but fairly snugly therein and have free movement in aVertical plane, but without undue side play. Un the inside and outsideends of the hous memhers l and tlQ secured plates 19 111m 20, re-

i operate as end thrust menihers for the p re bars 16 and serve torespectively, whic inforce the housing ineinhersel and 5. The plates 19are slotted tcr receiving shaft.

The couples 8 and 10 near the ends of the housing members l and 5 arewise enough to receive. in addition to the springs the hearing lilo inwhich ire mounted the shafts A l 1 I 1 '23. these shafts beingtlicientlv longer than 40 the )ltL-ESUYG liars ill; to extend into thebase 2 of the trallic tower 1. In order for the shatts 23 not toinjertere with the springs they are located, by means of theirrespective hearings, to one side of the centrally lo- ;1' cated spri s15 and p" lel to and upon opposite sides of the center line of therespeclett hand pressure har assemriveright an A 1 I the shaftspreferalely inst inn s 42 are fixedly secured arms ward the center lineo their rederneii'h o rally ahcye tne center ie of their *Qlllbl. and a:vin

each ot uh! I end portion of its respective ari Upon Fri? each of theshafts 23 i- I v e secured hne or more helical torsion 7 "for the pur-)SG of causir. the end or ions of the arms r to contin contact withtneir respeo ire thrus i llpoii the inner ends oi the right and leftFrom the description which follows, it will he oljr erved that this sameindependeiure of action continues in connection with. the regi:t eringot' the depressions of the pre sure hars hut that at the same time therilepressions of both said hars may and in the preferred en'ihodimentare. regisl by the housing 2. Sur: lows (37 are. of course. located insaid tower so that the register or t iudices thereof can re oliservcd.Fluid ltt 2-32 may heany one of a nuniher of ditle types but in thelerred enilxodime iploycd lu' me comlive lines 33, 34-, 3G and 537 ofindex 1 ne ge ring F' I ot the index cylin (him from right to le it toohta in a count thereon in multiples of ter is well lrnown to thoseelr'l ed in the art and need not be here descrihed. The lines 33. 34;and 35 are read troin the front of the traaic tower while lines tlti and537 are r em the haclt. The right hand index cylinder of each line(detcrinhr ing rFght 'rrom the position of reading) is .t'fiicdlysecured to its respective cjLLiidc-r shatt. The remaining cyl nders uponeach sh'i'l" mon in such registers. Any of the lines of i I he rotatedliarto zero will for the prrnose cl ohperiodical count thereon as willhe v h nutter deem-died. Upon the ends (it the cynuder shatts 33'. and3? adiacuil; the right hand cyl nder are fixedly secured spur gears 33.a l and 12. respectively. These g ars the same diameter and ljOO llfQQhut such dian'ieter and the linder shafts e id Mi nd -L.Al L;A m re i 1right l a a so spaced that the gears do not mesh. Tip: .1 310 right handeiids of ti e cylinder sha s il -l and 3'? adiac. thereof uxedly,clllQtl ratchet gear."v each in the same vertical gears 4-3 and llrespectivel ratchet gears 4:3 and r ainely; downwardlv o of whereas theteeth o? ram 4-6 incl ne opposi ely: near. l4 incline downward y or. thel {shore of gear 4-6 incl ne upwardly on acl';

nde thereof. Fixedly secured up n the lll) shaft 35" in line with gears38, 39, and 40 is a similar spur gear 47.

Since a'normal index cylinder has ten indices located thereonequidistant apart and since each pressure bar 16 Will be actuated ordepressed twice by each vehicle which passes thereover, i. e. once bythe front wheels and once bythe back wheels of said vehicle, I haveprovided each of the ratchet gears 43, 44, 45 and 46 with twenty teethso that a new indice will be brought into sight upon the right handcylinder every time a vehicle passes over the pressure bar operativelyconnected to that particular ratchet gear.

Shafts 48 are slidably mounted in the register housing 3 and havehandles 49 upon the right hand ends thereof adapted to contact with thewall of the register housing. There are three of these shafts allparallel to the cylinder shafts, one between shafts 33 and 34, anotherbetween shafts 35 and 35" and a third between shafts 36 and 37'. Uponeach of these shafts 48 is fixedly secured a small spur gear atsuchedistance from the right .w hand end of each shaft that when itshandle 49 contacts with the side of the register housing 3 the gear 50upon that shaft will mesh with its respective pair of gears 38 and39, 46and 47, or 41 and 42. Thus ,any motion given to the ratchet gears 43,44, 45 or 46 will be transmitted'to the cylinder lines 34 and 33, 35, or36 and 37 respectively. If a shaft 48 is pulled to the right no motionwill of course be transmitted through the gear 50 upon that shaft. Bythis arrangement, cylinder lines 33, 35 or 36 may be made inactive. Furthermore, by disengagingany gear 50 from any larger spur gear withwhich it is associated the cylinder line with which that larger spurgear is associated, may be turned back to zero reading by the use of akey upon the squared right hand end of that cylinder line shaft. The cylnder line may be made active again by pushing the handle 49 back intocontact with the register housing remeshing the gear 50.

To the standard 31 are fixedly secured right and left hand stub shafts53 and 54 upon which are pivotally mounted evener bars 55 and 56,respectively, having slots therein for adjustment purposes. Connectingone end of the bars 55 and 56 and the free ends of arms 28 and 29,respectively, are rods 57 and 58/ To the opposite end of the bar 55 arepivotally secured the push pawls 59 and 60 and to the opposite end ofbar 56 are pivotally secured hook pawl 61 and push pawl 62. These pawls59, 60, 61 and 62 engage the teeth of ratchet gears 43, 45, 46 and 44,respectively, for the purpose of rotatingsaid ratchet gears by thedepression of their respective pressure bars. Springs 63 are providedfor causing the normal engagement of the pawls with theirrespectiveratchet gears and cams 64 areproyided for selectively throwingout of engagement any particular pawl. By means of shafts extending thruthe register walls and to which these cams are secured they may becontrolled. All of these movable parts are, of course, made suitablyadjustable so as to provide for the proper placing and action thereof.Lag dogs 65 for the ratchet gears and operated by stub shafts to whichthey are secured may also be provided as shown. If it is desired to turnback to zero reading, any cylinder line having a ratchet gear, thepawlscontacting' therewith must of course be lifted before this can bedone.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the base of the traffictower 1 is, together with the pressure bar assemblies set into theroadway so that the flanges 6 and 7 of the pressure bar housings comeflush with the surface of the roadway and, as must follow, so that thebulged portion of the pressure bars extend above the roadway for theirentire length as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. Gutters 66 may beprovided underneath the pressure bar assemblies, for drainage purposes.

As will be observed from Fig. 6 the front and back walls of the registerhousing 3 are dished to bring the portion of these walls adjacent thecylinder lines in close'proximity thereto. These walls are slotted asshown so that the indices upon the cylinders may be read. In thesidewalls of the tower 1 opposite the right hand ends of the cylindershafts are doors which permit access to the cylinder and cam shafts.

The operation of my invention is as follows: As a vehicletravels alongthe roadway it must pass over one or the otherof the pressure bars 16and must therefore depress said pressure bar twice as it passesthereover, once by the front wheels and once by the rear wheels.Assuming it'is the right hand pressure bar 16 that is depressed, thethrust rolls 26 push the free ends of arms 24 downward,

33, 34 and 35 of the register registerthe pass sage of one vehicle. Whenthe left hand pres sure bar 16 is depressed, such actuation is similarlycommunicated to the pawls 61. and 62which move upward, the pawl 62rotating its ratchet gear on the upward motion and the pawl 61 rotatingits ratchet gear when returning to normal position; Thus for each doubleactuation of the left hand pressure bar 16 the lines 36, 37 and 35 ofthe register will register the passage of one vehicle. The springs 27 onshafts 23 cause the levers and pawls to' return to their normalposition; Instead of torsional springs on theshafts 23, tensionspringsmay be. hooked. to the free ends of arms 28 and 29, for instance,to accomplish the same purpose.

Thus tl e lines and 3-1- re ister the tratlic upon the right hand sideof the road way in one direction, the lines and traffic on the left handside of the r the other direction and the line 35 re; the total tra'tlicin both directions. By means of the cams (ll. any 0 the pawls may l vtively disengaged so that the registe totaltraiiic or either one waytrafllc may be selectively dispensed with if desired at any time. Inthis connection itnna be stated that a simple single register forregistering only total traffic may be employed or that separate s mplesingle reg., may be provided for each one way traffic.

As pointed out early in this description, I have described my inventionin its preferred Y embodiment as adapted to register two way traffic. Itwould of course be a more economical installation to have only onepressure bar the entire width of the roadway and to have the registeringmechanism at the side of the road. Such is more desirable for a narrowroadway and also would be the only embodiment that would logically beemployed where there is one-way traffic only. It is intended that theclaims hereto appended shall cover both or either embodiments asappropria Obviously various slight modifications to certain features orelements of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Forinstance, the shafts 23 may not be located directly under the pressurebar but could be positioned to either side thereof; the pressure bar mayoperate the shaft 23 thru a link and lever assembly or thru gearsinstead of the thrust rolls and arms shown; the shaft 23 or even thepressure bar, may operate the register thru suitable gearing anddifferent types of registers may be such as that type operated by alever arm instead of a ratchet gear. It is. therefore, intended that theclaims appended hereto shall include such modifications or equivalentsas said claims may reasonably be construed to in clude.

The pressure bars 16 are not of great width as the housing members i and5 should not be spaced so far apart that a vehicle wheel will strike theedge of the forward housing element with any great force but will, so tospeak, skim over or span the space between its normal position.Obviously, the pressure point desired and that it will accomplish a igreat saving, not only in the mere recording of traffic, but indetermining what highways or streets have the most or least trafficthereover so that a certain amount thereof may be rerouted and also sothat it will be known whether that highway or street is standing upunder traliic as it should and was intended and by that improve futureroads accordingly.

I claim:

1. In a register actuating mechanism, in combination, a housingcomprising spaced longitudinal members having vertically disposed walls.a depressible pressure bar disposed in said housing except for a bulgedportion thereof which in normal position of said bar extends without thesaid housing, a rotatable shaft disposed in said housing andsubstantially parallel to said bar, means operatively connecting saidbar and shaft for efl ecting the partial rotation of said shaft when thebar is depressed, and means operatively connecting said shaft and aregister for registering the depressions of said bar.

2. In a register actuating mechanism. in combination, a housingcomprising spaced longitudinal members having vertically disposed walls,an inverted U-shaped depressible pressure bar disposed in said housingexcept for a bulged portion thereof which in normal position of said barextends without the said housing, a rotatable shaft disposed in saidhousing and substantially parallel with said bar, arms on said shafthaving their free ends operatively connected with said bar and meansoperatively connecting said shaft and a register for registering thedepressions of said bar.

3. In a register actuating mechanism, in combination, a housingconuprising spaced longitudinal members having vertically disposedwalls. an inverted U-shapcd depressible pressure bar supported by aplurality of springs having their resistance force distributedthroughout the length of said bar, said bar being disposed in saidhousing except for the bulged portion thereof which in its normalposition extends without the aid housing, a rotatable shaft disposed insaid housing and substantially parallel with said bar, arms upon saidshaft having their free ends operativcly connected with said bar,another arm upon said shaftnear one end thereof, and means operativelyconnecting the free end of the last named arm with a register forregistering the depressions of said bar.

i. In a register actuating mechanism, in combination, a housing adaptedto be positioned across a highway and comprising sub-

